I remember when Halloween was all about sweets and costumes. I was about 7 or 8. I used to love to dress up as a vampire. I even got an aunt, who was a seamstress, to make me a Dracula cape one year. I always bought the teeth, and practiced the “Transylvanian” accent. Then I went door-to-door saying in my best Dracula voice, “Trrrick or Trrrreat.” Then we got home and Dad would go through our candy to be sure there wasn’t a razor blade or needle hole in any of it. Finally, the feast was upon us – and we all went to bed in a bit of a sugar coma of sorts. We loved it.
Then, as a teenager, we started going to haunted houses. In Kansas City, where I grew up, the ones in downtown Missouri were “the best.” We’d get a bunch of friends and off we went to an unknown part of town (to me anyway), to pay an exorbitant price to see if the crew at the haunted house could scare us. I remember one in particular, when I was an older teen nearing graduation, where I was there to crack everyone up – even the monsters. I even asked the vampiress for a date after she got off work!
Also, as a teen, Halloween became a time when a teen was to become a man – and enjoy the “R”-rated movies such as “Halloween” 1-4 (I think there are many more); Freddy Kruger was a household name, and the like. It was a “coming of age” event. I remember thinking then that the butchery was senseless and very repulsive. Nevertheless, in order to stay “cool” to my friends and “manly” to the ladies, I felt I had to pretend to enjoy these shows. The scenes of the first one I saw, “Halloween 3, 3-D,” haunt me today.
Finally, when I was 19 years old, I asked Jesus to be my Savior. I found that my need someone to care for me in spite of me was deeper than I ever thought. I didn’t need to impress my friends anymore just to get them to like me. I found imperfections in me I didn’t know were there, as I saw the goodness and righteousness of Jesus Christ on every page of the Bible – but I also saw that He wanted ME as I was, to be MY friend and my LORD. He could cure the hurts of my heart, and the fears of my soul. Yes, this changed everything in my life.
The gore that attracted me as a young person (I also went to “haunted” wax museums where it was fascinating for its unrealistic scenes of butchery when I was a child), and repulsed me as a teen suddenly became absolutely unholy in every way. Perhaps the repulsion I felt then has led me to view Halloween as I do today – something that no child should ever delight in, no teen should ever embrace. As I have grown to understand spiritual matters a bit more, I also despise the spiritual darkness that surrounds the holiday. I see it as very much a condition of our hearts with relationship to our Lord. As a pastor, I see people all over the country mixing the beautiful things of our faith with the ugliness of our world in so many ways – but Halloween seems to exaggerate it. How can a Bible-believing Christian NOT be conflicted by Halloween? How does a Bible-believing Christian, who knows the love God has for people, delight in a feast of fear and butchery? This seems to me to be a very wicked mix. I know the kiddos love the candy and costumes. But the movies, TV shows, haunted houses and revelry on October 31st surpasses the partying on any other day of the year! Christmas parties are not even close to as lively. Independence Day celebrations don’t hold a “Roman” candle to Halloween. Only New Year’s day comes close as people bring in a new year with a hangover (that’s another article for another time).
So, I have grown to despise Halloween. It seems to me to be a very denial of my faith, my Lord, and all He has done to enjoy a lasting and freeing relationship with me. I also have found that these “Halloween” activities compete with our church’s “Harvest Festival.” I am amazed at how many people avoid the Harvest Festival in order to go to the Haunted Houses and get drunk. We offer free games, tons of candy, soup and chili, and a great time for everyone in the community to enjoy our friendships without the fears and horrors of human butchery and wicked, soul-chilling spiritual ghouls. What could be better?
So, I have shared Halloween, As I See It. What do you think?
Holler for Jesus,
Greg Yount
First Baptist Church of Bakersfield: http://tinyurl.com/weR4him
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